New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh described Sunday’s 27-21 overtime win over the Houston Texans as the team’s best all-around game of the season, citing execution across all three phases and contributions from a wide range of players.
“That’s probably the main point. Just so much contribution from all three phases and different players, all the different positions stepping up when they had to, players making plays, executing technique,” Harbaugh told reporters on Monday. “I think it was our best execution game after watching the tape across the board. This was our best all-around well-played football game as a team. And that’s the players; that’s what the players do, they did a great job.”
He pointed to Jameis Winston’s work after entering the game, Thomas Fidone’s first career catch, Micah McFadden’s play at inside linebacker, the running backs, and J.J. McCarthy as examples of different positions delivering when needed.
That broader execution has coincided with a sharp rise in explosive plays. Through the first three weeks, the Giants ranked second-to-last in the league with only three plays of 20-plus yards. From Weeks 4-7, they led the NFL with 24 such plays.
“It’s just the guys who made the plays deserve the credit. There were some great schemed up passes in there. We had some runs, but I think you look at the guys who were probably making the plays and give them the credit,” Harbaugh said.
“The offensive line, first of all, for protection, quarterbacks making throws. Malik has obviously been a big part of that. I’m sure Isaiah’s been a big part of that. I feel like Malachi’s had a couple of big plays, maybe he’s in that mix. Skatt, obviously, with the big runs this past game, it was huge. Motor, I mean, it’s just the guys making the plays, really. That’s what it is.”
One of those runs produced a sideline moment Harbaugh later called a snapshot of "football joy." After Devin Singletary scored, the running back and Harbaugh ended up on the ground together.
“As I was going down, all I could think was like, I mean, I just felt like a total non-athlete, over the hill, washed up. I don’t know, man. I just felt so weak, so pathetic. But once we were on the ground laughing and enjoying the moment and celebrating the football joy moment of the touchdown run, it just made sense,” Harbaugh said. “We talked about football joy. We talked about playing with joy. What is football joy? It’s different than other kinds of joy. It’s kind of gritty. It’s kind of tough. It’s fierce. And that was a football joy moment.”
He also noted the number of Giants fans gathered around the tunnel and locker-room entrance after the game, calling the scene part of the same shared moment.
Harbaugh said the willingness of players such as Singletary, Winston, Cam Skattebo, and McCarthy to stay ready after reduced roles or setbacks reflects the same mindset.
“It says everything. It says so much about them and who they are, the type of men they are, the type of mindset they have, the attitude, the approach to just doing everything possible to be successful, understanding that if things aren’t working out for you, that’s not the final say,” Harbaugh said.
“Motor’s a great example of that, Skatt’s a great example of that, Jameis is a great example of that. And even the other guys. I mean, J.J. is a great example of that. Everybody’s got their story, everybody’s got their path. I’m just proud of the guys for that, but that’s who they are.”
The Giants enter the bye week coming off that performance and sheer "football joy."
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants' John Harbaugh praises players' execution and explosive-play surge